Hydrogels are often utilized after surgical procedures as a biomedical protective coating to control bleeding and to reduce post-surgical adhesion. In certain applications, the hydrogels are formed by crosslinking a solubilized polysaccharide and combining it with a second solution. The hydrogel may be formed externally, or in situ after application onto a treatment site. The polysaccharide must be sterilized before its application. Sterilization at the point of use is not practical due to the activity level and complex nature of a surgical facility. In that regard, sterilization of both components of the two component system are addressed at the packaging phase of the components. However, the shelf life stability of the polysaccharide is currently limited. Current polysaccharides utilized in hydrogel applications have a limited shelf life. For example, certain polysaccharides may be limited to a shelf life of six months or less, and some circumstances, four months or less.